Creating in-market demand for Eclipse drive-market visitation
How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved attracting visitors from a drive market using creative, out-of-the-box integrated tactics through collaboration in a short-term campaign.
We distributed 200 cameras for an in-market activation that inspired word-of-mouth campaign activity, UGC, landing page form submissions and 25 participants at a media event.
(This campaign runs through April 8, 2024. Final results are not yet calculated.)
Situational Analysis
Visit Rochester, the official tourism promotion entity for Monroe County, NY is experiencing a major milestone event on April 8, 2024 due to its location on the Path of Totality for a Total Solar Eclipse. The destination is expecting an influx of visitors on the days leading up to the eclipse.
The Challenge
Invite guests in drive- and fly-markets to the city of Rochester to experience the once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.
Objectives
- Promote the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Rochester, NY
- Highlight Rochester, NY and the surrounding area, its tourism partners and attractions, festivals and events
- Reach potential travelers in designated drive and target markets, and share the right messages at key moments in the trip planning cycle
- Build the buzz around Rochester and the Finger Lakes as a destination for the total solar eclipse and beyond
Creative Tactics
Our team developed an in-market activation that combined strategic digital tactics with PR to surprise and delight the residents of Philadelphia, PA. We ordered hundreds of Kodak disposable cameras (a nod to Kodak’s roots in Rochester, NY), wrapped them in eclipse branding with instructions and a QR code on the back. Our team pre-loaded each camera with 8 iconic shots of attractions around Rochester...
...and dropped the cameras in key public areas around Philadelphia. Residents were encouraged to register their camera online for free processing, finish and develop the film, and receive a special gift during their next visit to Rochester.
Eclipse itineraries and blogs created just for the Philadelphia market were linked through the QR code.
A media event was timed in Philadelphia for the evening of the camera drop and news media were alerted to our plans ahead of time to help create brand awareness and generate buzz.
Results
Preliminary Results
We distributed over 200 cameras across Philadelphia, PA to residents and media, with form completions taking place online in the weeks following. The cameras inspired word-of-mouth among Philadelphia residents with user generated content organically shared on social media. The evening media event saw attendance from more than 25 participants, with many more invited to learn about the Eclipse. As this campaign is still ongoing, final media results have not yet been calculated.